Dozens were killed Sunday in violent clashes during a football match in N’Zerekore, Guinea’s second-largest city, hospital sources confirmed.
Doctors described a grim scene, with bodies overcrowding the local hospital and morgue. “Bodies line the hospital halls, and the morgue is overflowing,” one doctor revealed anonymously.
Estimates from medical staff suggest the death toll could reach 100, though official numbers remain unconfirmed. Another doctor confirmed “dozens of fatalities.”
Videos circulating online, yet to be verified, show chaos outside the stadium and numerous lifeless bodies strewn across the streets.
Witnesses recounted that tensions erupted after a disputed referee decision led to a pitch invasion by enraged fans.
The unrest extended beyond the stadium as demonstrators set fire to the N’Zerekore police station, according to local accounts.
The match was reportedly part of a tournament honoring Guinea’s junta leader, Mamadi Doumbouya, who seized power in a 2021 coup.
Such events have grown frequent as Doumbouya prepares for a potential presidential run, despite prior promises of a civilian-led transition.
Guinea, rich in resources but burdened by decades of authoritarian rule, continues to face instability under Doumbouya’s leadership.
International pressure mounts on the junta to hold elections by 2025, with critics voicing concerns over crackdowns on dissent and opposition figures.
N’Zerekore, home to around 200,000 people, now mourns the devastating loss, highlighting the fragility of peace in the region.
